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Jana Sena cadres not ready to align with BJP in Andhra Pradesh

By:  Tupaki Desk   |   14 Jun 2022 5:08 AM GMT
Jana Sena cadres not ready to align with BJP in Andhra Pradesh
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There is a growing dissonance between the BJP and the Jana Sena in Andhra Pradesh. A large number of the Jana Sena cadres are completely disillusioned with the BJP and are said to be strongly opposing an alliance with the BJP. They strongly feel that the Jana Sena should either go it alone or join hands with the TDP to defeat the YSRCP.

The Jana Sena-BJP alliance in AP is a non-starter in many ways. The alliance came up only after the 2019 elections. In the 2019 elections, Pawan Kalyan aligned with the Left and the BSP to form a Dalit Bahujan Front. This ended up as a dud. Only later did the Jana Sena align with the BJP. However, the ride has always been bumpy for both parties.

During the last three years, both the parties did not have a common agenda. They did not fight the bypolls together. In fact, in the local body elections, the Jana Sena preferred to align with the TDP at several places. The Jana Sena cadre are also miffed that the BJP has not announced Pawan Kalyan as its chief ministerial candidate. They are also unhappy that there has not been even a single coordination meet between the two parties in the last three years.

Another ticklish issue is that while Pawan Kalyan has great rapport with the national leadership of the BJP, he has no links whatsoever with the state BJP leaders. Except for an occasional meet, AP BJP president Somu Veerraju did not even bother to meet Pawan Kalyan.

Another major fear among the Jana Sena rank and file is that the party could lose the votes of the Muslims and Christians if it aligned with the BJP, which is perceived as a communal party. The party leaders feel that the party can keep the minorities with it only if it shuts the doors on the BJP.